Magnier wanted Crick to dish dirt on Fergie

The investigative journalist who uncovered the extent of the dirty tricks campaign being waged on Sir Alex Ferguson by John Magnier was himself approached about working for the Irish multimillionaire.

Michael Crick, who wrote a famously critical biography of the Manchester United manager, has emerged as a pivotal figure in the increasingly hostile legal battle between Ferguson and the club's majority shareholder.

Standard Sport can reveal that associates of Magnier approached Crick last September about compiling a damaging dossier on Ferguson.

It is understood that Crick turned down the offer from the horse-racing tycoon because he did not agree with Magnier's methods. It emerged yesterday that Magnier is going to extraordinary lengths to discredit Ferguson and damage his chances of winning their legal row.

An investigation by United fan and shareholder Crick revealed that the Irishman, through corporate investigators Kroll, hired six people to confront Ferguson with potentially damaging questions at the United AGM last November.

United chief executive David Gill, who has been given a file compiled by Crick, reportedly intends to speak to Magnier - who owns a 24 per cent stake in the club with business partner JP McManus - about suggestions that he is trying to smear Ferguson's name.

Last November Ferguson began legal proceedings against Magnier over disputed stud rights to the retired ?80million racehorse Rock Of Gibraltar. He has since been made aware that his former associate and friend has instructed private detectives to look into his personal and professional affairs.

Magnier's bid to employ the renowned investigative skills of respected author and broadcaster Crick, 45, to dig the dirt on Ferguson makes sense.

Manchester Grammar Schooleducated Crick, who got a first in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford, has worked for ITN Channel 4 News, Panorama and Newsnight, and has written books on Arthur Scargill, Michael Heseltine, Alex Ferguson and Jeffrey Archer.

Last year Crick's investigation into Iain Duncan Smith and his wife Betsy caused a political storm after it was famously commissioned and then ditched by Newsnight. His explosive unauthorised biography on Ferguson also made headlines.

In it, Crick accused Sir Alex of being a liar, a cheat, a manipulator and a man in ruthless pursuit of wealth. It is ironic that the journalist should now bring into the public domain information which puts Magnier in a bad light. The Irishman will feel, though, that the revelations will put pressure on Ferguson.